Safety reflector assembly



Oct. 13, 1942. mck I 2,298,461

SAFETY REFLECTOR ASSEMBLY Fiied July 50', 1940 hwenlak;

Patented Oct. 13, 1942 SAFETY rmrusc'ron ASSEMBLY Alan E. Brickman,Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County, Pa: 1

Application July so, 1940, Serial No. 348,485

(01. sa -s2) 9 Claims.

This invention relates to safety reflectors for highways andparticularly to animproved safety reflector assembly which is adapted tobe attached to the highway guard rails of the cable type. v

Safety reflectors are now in common use as an aid to the motorist formarking highways at various points, such as dangerous curves, thelateral limits of the highway, and the location of theguard rails.Usually such reflectors are mounted on the highway guard posts to whichthe guard rail is attached. While the reflectors positioned on the postsare generally satisfactory in most instances, they are not entirelysatisfactory in their use in connection with rails of the cable type, inthat the cables, being disposedinfront of the posts, would oftentimessag during the warm summer months of the year, and obstruct the line ofvision between the motorist or those' travelling along the highway andthe reflectors thereby defeating the purpose for which they areintended. I

Reflector buttons as used on highway guard rails have come into generaluse only in the past few years and difliculty has been encountered inapplying reflector buttons properly to the guard rails then in use, forthe reason that the top of the guard posts in most instances are flushwith the top of thebracket which supports the guard rail thereby notproviding suflicient space in the post for attaching the reflectorsthereto. That is to say,. such reflectors could neither be convenientlynor satisfactorily assembled on existing highway guard rails. I

In the present invention, there is provided a safety reflector assemblyin which the above disadvantages'are eliminated and one which isvissecurely attached to the guard rail so as to prevent displacement ofthe same thereon.

Various other objects and advantages of this invention will be moreapparent in the course of the following specification and will beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing there is shown, for the purpose ofillustration, one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan of a portion of a highway guardrail of the cable typeshowing the improved.

' safety reflector assembly of my invention incorporated therewith;

Figure 2 is an elevation of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan of the improved safety reflector 'assembly of myinvention;

Figure 4 is an elevation thereof;

Figure 5 is a section taken on line V-V of Figure 4; and,

Figure 6 is a perspective of the safety reflector of the presentinvention showing it attached to the guard cable.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the

improved safety reflector assembly of my invention, comprises alongitudinally extending body member 2 having a pair: of cylindricalportions 3 arranged .integrally therewith with their axesalignedangularlyrelative to each other and a semi-cylindrical portion 4arranged to one side of. the cylindrical portions 3 for attachingthe.as-' sembly to the cable in a manner-hereinafter to be described.

There is arranged in the outer end of each of the cylindrical portions3, preferably a cylindrical-shaped socket portion 5, whichcylindricalshaped socket; portions 5 have their axes disposed ible fromeither direction of travel at all times and under any and allconditions.

Accordingly, it is one of the objects of the present invention toprovide an improved safety reflector assembly for highway guard railswhich is simple and inexpensive in its construction and application and,at the same time, one which can be easily and quickly applied to nowexisting guard rails. I

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved safetyreflector assembly for highway guard rails having a double or twinreflector lens which is adapted to aid-those travelling in eitherdirection along the highway.

It is a further object 01 this invention to provide an improved safetyreflector assembly which can conveniently be applied at any point alongthe guard rail and at the same time, one which is angularly relative toeach other and to the axis of the wire cable with which the assembly isto beused, There is disposed in each of the socket portions 5 preferablya cylindrical reflector button lens 8 which is held therein in anysuitable manner but preferably forced thereinto and held therein solelyby frictional forces. The reflector buttons 6 are of the well known typeand preferably have an annular flange 1 arranged therearoundintermediate the length thereof which is adapted to cooperate with theinner walls of the socket portions 5 to frictionally hold the reflectorbutton imposition therein. A reflector button,

assembly which is preferably for use with the present invention is shownin the Brickman et al. Patent No. 2,274,661. 'I'hecextreme rear portionof the reflector button is preferablycoated with an aluminous paint or,other suitable reflecting The semi-cylindrical portion 4 is preferablymade integral with the cylindrical portions 3 and there is arranged onthe inner side thereof preferably a plurality of helical-shaped groovesI which conform to the contour of the lay of the strands of the wirerope cable with which the assembly is to be used. There is provided acomplementary or cap member 9 similar to the semicylindrical portion 4and having similarly shaped grooves I arranged in the inner surfacethereof.

The improved safety reflector assembly of my invention is mounted on thewire rope cable of the guard rail in any desired position in thefollowing manner:

The body member 2 is first positioned on the cable so that thehelical-shaped grooves I on the inner side of the semi-cylindricalportion 4 properly fit the lay of the strands with the individualstrands of the cable lying in the grooves with the cylindrical portions3 together with the reflector buttons 6 carried thereby preferablydisposed below the cable. The complementary or cap member 9 is thenpositioned on the opposite or back side of the cable opposite the bodymemher with the strands on that side of the cable disposed in thegrooves l0 arranged on the inner side of the cap member. A bolt, screw,or preferably a drive pin I2 is then inserted through aligned holes I:and I in the center of the body member' and the cap member respectively,so as to securely hold thebody member and the cap member around the wirerope cable and the assembly securely in engagement therewith.

It will be seen that the providing of grooves i and grooves It! in theinner sides respectively of the body member and the cap member willprevent the twisting of the assembly around the cable and thedisplacement of the assembly thereon so that the assembly will bemaintained in its proper position at all times.

It will be also seen that by disposing the socket portions 5 and thereflector buttons l arranged therein angularly relative to each other,the reflector buttons will be clearly visible from any point on thehighway to those travelling therealong in either direction, which is adecided advantage over any safety button reflector assembly heretoforeproposed or used. It will be understood further that any number of thesafety rei'iector assemblies of the present invention may be which isadapted to cooperate with said attaching portion to securely attach theassembly to a guard cable so as toprevent twisting of the assemblythereon.

3. A safety reflector assembly for highway guard cables comprising abody member including two substantially cylindrical portions havingtheir taxes arranged angularly relative to each other and insubstantially the same plane, eachof said cylindrical portions having asocket portion arranged in the outer end thereof, a reflector buttonsecurely arranged in each of said s'ocketportions, a substantiallysemi-cylindrical attaching portion arranged integrally with saidcylindrical portions and substantially parallel thereto, sai'dsemi-cylindrical portion having a plurality of helical-shaped groovesarranged on the inner side thereof which conform-substantially to thelay of the strands of the cable with whichithe assembly is tolbe used.and removable means cooperating with said semi-cylindricalattaching-portionto securely attach the assembly to a guard cable and toprevent the assembly from twisting thereon.

4. A safety reflector assembly for highway guard cables comprising abody member including two substantially cylindrical portions havingmounted along the guard rail at the most desirable points.

While I have shown anddescribed one embodi- I do not wish to be limitedexactly thereto, since various modifications may be made! withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

attaching portion carried by said body member having a plurality ofgrooves arranged therein conforming to the contour of the guard cablewith which the assembly is to be used, and a removable complementarymember .which is adapted to cooperate with said attaching portion tosecurely attach the assembly to a guard cable so as to prevent twistingof the assembly thereon.

ment of my'invention. it will beunderstood that.

their axes arranged angulai ly relative to each other and insubstantially the same plane, each of said cylindrical portions'having asocket por-.

tion arranged in the outer end thereof, a reflector button securelyarranged in each of said socket portions. a substantiallysemi-cylindrical attaching portion arranged integrally with saidcylindrical portions to one side thereof and substantially parallelthereto, said semi-cylindrical attaching portion having the innersurface thereof conforming to the contour of the guard cable with whichthe assembly is adapted to be used, a removable complementary memberhaving a similar inner surface which is adapted to cooperate with thesemi-cylindrical attaching portion to securely attach the assembly to aguard cable and to prevent the assembly from twisting thereon, and meansfor securely holding the complementary member and said semi-cylindricalattaching portion together.

5. A safety' reflector assembly for highway guard cables comprising abody member consisting of a substantially cylindrical-shaped portionhaving a socket portion arranged in each end thereof with the axes ofsaid socket portions arranged angularly relative to each other. areflector button arranged in each of said socket portions, anattaching'portion carried by said cylindrlcal-shaped portion andarranged to one side of said socket portions, a removable complementarymemberwhicnis adapted to cooperate with said attaching portion forsecurely attaching the to prevent the assembly from twisting thereon.

her and the attaching portion for securely holding the same together.

6. A safety reflector assembly comprising a a substantiallycylindrical-shaped portion having a socket portion arranged in each endthereof with the axes of said socket portionsarranged angularly relativeto each other in substantially the same plane, a reflector buttonsecurely ar-' ranged in each of said socket portions, asemicylindrical-shaped attaching portion carried by saidcylindrical-shaped portion to one side thereof and substantiallyparallel thereto for afllxing the assembly to a highway cable or thelike, a removable complementary member arranged op-. posite saidattaching portion with which it is adapted to cooperate to securelyaflix the assembly in position on-a cable, and means for securelyholding the complementary member and the attaching portion in engagementwith each other so as to provide a compact assembly unit.

7. A safety reflector assembly comprising a substantiallycylindrical-shaped portion having a socket portion arranged in each endthereof with and sneans for securely holding the complementaryg memberand said semi-cylindrical portion in engagement with each other.

8. A safety reflector assembly comprising a substantiallycylindrical-shaped portion having a socket portion arranged in each endthereof with the axes of said socket portions arranged angularlyrelative to each other in substantially the same plane, a reflectorbutton securely arranged in each of said socket'portions, asemi-cylindrical-shaped attaching portion carried by saidcylindrical-shaped portion'to one side thereof and substantiallyparallel thereto, said semi-cylindrical-shaped portion having aplurality of helicalsnaped grooves arranged on the inner side thereofwhich conform substantially to the lay of the strands of the cable withwhich the assembly is 7 adapted to be used, a removable substantiallythe axesof said socket portions arranged anguiarly relative to eachother in substantially the same plane, areflector button securelyarranged in each of said socket portions, 3. semi-cylindrical- 'shapedattaching portion carried by said cylindrical-shaped portion to one sidethereof and substantially parallel thereto, said semi-cylindrical-shapedportion having a plurality of helicalshaped grooves arranged on theinner side thereof which conform substantially to the lay of the strandsof the cable with which the assembly is adapted to be used, a removablesubstantially semi-cylindrical-shaped complementary member arrangedopposite said last mentioned portion with which it is adapted tocooperate to securely aflix the assembly inposition on the cable andsemi-cylindrical-shaped complementary member arranged opposite said lastmentioned portion with which it is adapted to cooperate to secureLvafllx the assembly in position on the cable and to prevent the assemblyfrom twisting thereon.

said complementary member having similar grooves arranged on. the innerside thereof, and means for secureLv holding the complementary memberand said semi-cylindrical portion in engagement with each other.

9. A safety reflector assembly for highway guard cables as defined inclaim 8 wherein the means for securely holding the complementary memberand the semi-cylindrical portion of the body member together inengagement with each other consists of a drive screw arranged centrallythrough both the complementary member and the semi-cylindrical portion.

' ALAN E. BRICKMAN.

